Travel to the Twin Cities of Minnesota (Minneapolis) – Episode 324

The Amateur Traveler talks to Kirk Horsted in a two-part episode on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

This first episode focuses on Minneapolis with day trips west of the Mississippi River. Kirk starts us in the warehouse district with nightclubs like First Avenue where Prince got his start, the theatre district, the restaurants of Nicollet Mall, Uptown, Hennepin Avenue and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

While you can get around downtown Minneapolis on a series of elevated walkways known as the skyway system, Kirk is recommending a summer visit where you can explore the center of town on a rented bike. You can’t really appreciate Minneapolis until you get off to one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes and Kirk recommends renting a canoe and canoeing around Lake of the Isles, Ceder Lake and through a hidden tunnel to Lake Brownie. The lakes are full of sailors, windsurfers, swimmers, and kayakers as well. Take in a free concert at the bandshell on Lake Harriet almost any night in the Summer. Along the way, Kirk points out the hot trendy restaurants as well as the Minneapolis culinary institutions.

Nearby Lake Minnetonka offers 125 miles of shoreline, camping, cruise boats, fishing, and boating. In the winter people drive on the lake and do ice sailing and ice fishing. Along the shoreline mansions of families with names like Pillsbury can be found.

Also, listen to the second part of this interview Travel to the Twin Cities of Minnesota (St Paul and side trips) – Amateur Traveler Episode 325

right click here to download (mp3)
right click here to download (iTunes version with pictures)

Booking.com

Show Notes

Make Your Breakaway
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Minneapolis
First Avenue
Hennepin Avenue
State Theatre
Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Cafe Lurcat
A Prairie Home Companion
Garrison Keillor
Gather Restaurant
Minnesota Park & Recreation Board – Lake Harriet
Linden Hills, Minneapolis
Tilia
Lake Minnetonka
Excelsior, MN
Mississippi River
Experience Mississippi River
http://stanthonymain.com/
Minnesota Segway Tours & Rentals
Nicollet Island
Nordeast, Minneapolis
Nye’s Polonaise Room
Nye’s Polonaise Room on Yelp
Our Lady of Lourdes
Psycho Suzi’s
Amateur Traveler – Travel to Lanai
Mall of America
Minnehaha Park
Sea Salt Eatery
Lutefisk
Midtown Global Market
The Bachelor Farmer
The Bachelor Farmer Team
Eat Street
Eat Street Social
Minneapolis Institute of Arts

News

TSA Agents Hired Without Full Background Checks
United Continental posts $448 M Q1 loss
State Patrol Troopers Save Flier’s Life on Delta Airlines Flight

Community

Travel to Lanai – Episode 320
Miranda “what about Instagram?”

What an awesome show on Lanai. It brought back memories of a great trip that my wife and I got to go on a few years back.

We went with Cisco and the following news story happened: Menacing Fire Empties Resort

I have to second your thoughts on Four Season’s. Although I normally don’t stay at Four Seasons, the experience that they provided during this fiasco was amazing. When we evacuated the hotel, we were standing on the beach. The hotel employees were actually walking by and handing us water bottles and apologizing for the inconvenience. Amazing service and although one day was ruined, the Four Seasons really made out trip memorable.

What I also remember is that after we left Lanai for the 5 day trip, we wanted to stay on the outskirts of Honolulu for a few days to see all the sites. Flying from Lanai to Honolulu and jumping in a car and immediately experiencing the hustle and bustle that the highways made us both say, “Wow, we wish we were back in Lanai.”. It actually felt like a time warp or a cartoon episode where a guy is transported to the middle of traffic. That really made us appreciate what Lanai has to offer.

Anyway, thanks again. Keep up the good work and congrats on the new job.

Chris